The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 419: Concern

Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Concern

At this point, Old Granny Zhang panicked again.

Wang Yongzhu had no choice but to comfort her, "Mom, you’re overthinking it! We just got lucky, that’s all! We scared off the wolves, and they’ve run away. They won’t come back for revenge!"

Wang Yongping caught up from behind, "Mom, why did you come out too? Were you worried about us? Rest assured, with my little sister and brother-in-law here, even if a tiger comes, we won’t be afraid—"

Old Granny Zhang slapped him irritably, "Tsk, tsk, tsk! Speak only good things, not bad ones. If you keep talking nonsense and really attract a tiger here, be careful or I’ll smack you with the sole of my shoe!"

Wang Yongping touched his head and didn’t dare to speak anymore.

It was already midnight, and everyone was exhausted, hungry, and sleepy. Father Liu, Uncle Huzi, and a few of the older hunters discussed and decided that everyone should go home to rest first. The wolf carcasses they had dragged back were left in the Liu Family Courtyard, to deal with in the morning.

The hunters agreed, carrying torches and taking their families back home.

Naturally, Wang Yongzhu and her group followed them back to the Liu family’s home.

Mother Liu and the others were used to these situations. As soon as they got home, they quickly boiled two large pots of hot water to let everyone take a bath and change into clean clothes.

Then, with the help of Old Granny Zhang, the two of them prepared a lavish late-night meal.

Wang Yongzhu had brought an extra set of clothes with her, and now she and Liu Xiaoqiao carried a large bucket of hot water into a separate room they had set aside.

Wang Yongzhu noticed that at Liu Xiaoqiao’s age, a girl would normally love to dress up, but even for bathing, she didn’t use soap, but instead used a cloth bag filled with soapberry pieces. They wet them in the water, rubbed them to create suds, and used that to wash their hair.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Wang Yongzhu didn’t want to be picky, so she too used the soapberry pieces to create suds, washed her hair, and cleaned off the bloodstains from her body.

After changing into clean clothes, she twisted her still-dripping wet hair, and stepped out.

Song Chongjin and the others, being men, weren’t so particular. Each took half a bucket of hot water, mixed it with cold water, and found a spot in the corner of the courtyard. Stripped down to their underwear, they each scooped water over their heads to wet their bodies, rubbed some soapberry on themselves, and then rinsed off with the bucket of water, considering that enough of a bath.

Song Chongjin and Wang Yongping didn’t bring clothes, so they put on clothes from the Liu brothers.

Seeing Wang Yongzhu come out with her hair still dripping, Song Chongjin hurried over, carefully wrung her hair so it wouldn’t drip, and urged her, "Go to the kitchen and dry your hair. Be careful, or the wind will give you a headache."

Wang Yongzhu saw Song Chongjin wearing the Liu brothers’ clothes. As he was taller than the Liu brothers, the clothes he wore revealed half his wrists and ankles.

She couldn’t help but laugh, "Bring me your clothes, and I’ll wash them for you. They’ll dry overnight."

Song Chongjin wouldn’t let Wang Yongzhu do such rough work, and instead pushed her into the kitchen. He took the clothes and used the leftover bathwater to quickly wash them clean.

He was used to doing all these things back at the Song family and didn’t feel the least bit uncomfortable.

However, the Liu brothers were making faces at each other. They had never expected Brother Song to be this kind of man, so capable at hunting, yet so afraid of his woman.

Isn’t it normal for a man to have his wife wash his clothes? And since when do men wash their own clothes?

The two brothers watched as Wang Yongzhu was pushed by Song Chongjin to dry her hair, no longer bothering about Song Chongjin.

They had felt a bit of interest in Wang Yongzhu and even some curiosity about girls from outside the mountain, but that immediately dissipated.

"If girls from outside the mountains are all like Wang Yongzhu, unable to wash clothes or cook, what use is it to marry them?"

However, if the men from outside the mountains are all like the Song family brothers, doing their own laundry, perhaps it is worth considering what mother suggested, marrying our sisters off to those beyond the mountains. They would be truly blessed then.

The brothers firmly decided that they would sound out their sworn brother Wang Yongping that evening, to see if all the men outside the mountains were like the Song family brothers.

After bathing, everyone sat together, eating and drinking, when Liu Dasheng asked Liu Xiaoqiao and Liu Daming what exactly had happened while they were away.

Were those wolves really killed by Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu? How did they manage it?

Not only was Liu Dasheng curious, but even Father Liu and Mother Liu were very interested.

Liu Xiaoqiao was not one for many words, only giving a brief account, while Liu Daming and Wang Yongping were chattering nonstop, praising Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu as though they were divine beings.

Father Liu’s eyes shone with admiration, clapping his hands and loudly commending them.

Old Granny Zhang, on the other hand, listened with a sense of dread. She could imagine just how dangerous the situation was. Even though her daughter possessed extraordinary strength, she was up against a pack of wolves!

Listening to this, Old Granny Zhang didn’t feel like eating at all, and there was her son Wang Yongping, looking so complacent.

Immediately annoyed, she wanted to give Wang Yongping a scolding, but they were at the Liu family home, so she restrained herself.

Liu Xiaoqiao, being attentive, noticed Old Granny Zhang’s displeasure. She understood that although the tale sounded exciting, the danger behind it was quite apparent.

It was natural for Old Granny Zhang, as a mother, to feel worried and uneasy upon hearing it.

Seeing her brothers still gabbing on without noticing the mood, she interjected, "It’s getting late; everyone’s tired. Let’s rest early, and continue our talk tomorrow."

She signaled to Father Liu and Mother Liu with her eyes.

Father Liu also stood up, joking, "Xiao Qiao’s right. Let’s call it a night and head off to sleep."

The Liu family had plenty of rooms and prepared two of them for their guests, laying out fur bedding for them to use.

Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu shared one room, while Wang Laozhu, Wang Yongping, and Song Chongjin stayed in another.

Having drunk a good amount at both noon and evening, Wang Laozhu began snoring loudly on the kang bed, fast asleep and oblivious to the world.

Wang Yongping was still a bit excited, but after getting a couple of glances from Song Chongjin, he too quieted down and closed his mouth. The day had been too thrilling. He had witnessed a pack of wolves and seen them repelled with his own eyes.

Despite his physical strength, Wang Yongping was overly excited. Now lying down, he soon fell asleep as well.

That left only Song Chongjin, who listened for a moment to the lack of noise from Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang’s room next door, assuming they too had fallen asleep. He then sat up on the kang, leaning against the wall, and closed his eyes.

When Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang returned to their room and closed the door, Old Granny Zhang couldn’t help but nag, "My dear daughter, let’s not venture into the mountains anymore. Look, every time you enter the mountains, you encounter a wolf pack. Even with your great strength, it’s no match for so many wolves. If anything were to happen, I wouldn’t be able to go on."

How could Wang Yongzhu possibly stay out of the mountains? She reassured her, "It was just a coincidence, wasn’t it? Don’t worry, that wolf pack won’t return for a few years. Besides, we need to do business with mountain goods. How can we avoid the mountains? I promised Boss Zhang that I would supply him with Yellow Pine Mushrooms, which is why he agreed to collaborate with us. If we don’t go into the mountains, where will we find the mushrooms? And I need to gather ingredients for dyeing fabrics, don’t I? As the saying goes, ’Rely on the mountain if you live by the mountain.’ Our family’s livelihood depends on Dahei Mountain. Don’t worry, from now on, I’ll be more cautious, not venturing into the deep woods, and when I do enter the mountains, I’ll be with your son-in-law. Nothing will happen!"